


Not Such a Bad Idea After All

by angeoltaire



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M, and maybe that frustrated enjolras a little, because enjolras is a complete clutz, grantaire can ice skate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 21:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1200424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeoltaire/pseuds/angeoltaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Combeferre was supposed to be the one with good ideas, yet in Enjolras' opinion, this was the worst idea that anybody had ever had. Putting blades on the bottoms of his feet and asking him to move across a cold and wet slippery surface? Great idea, 'Ferre. As if that wasn't a disaster just waiting to happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Such a Bad Idea After All

Combeferre was supposed to be the one with good ideas, yet in Enjolras' opinion, this was the worst idea that anybody had ever had. Putting blades on the bottoms of his feet and asking him to move across a cold and wet slippery surface? Great idea, 'Ferre. As if that wasn't a disaster just waiting to happen.

So there Enjolras was, clinging on to the railings at the side of the ice rink, unable to stop his feet from turning inwards and sliding all over the place. Courfeyrac and Combeferre had skated off hand in hand, laughing as the other stumbled and then quickly pecking each other on the lips, and had left Enjolras struggling on his own, only the cold metal bar to keep him company (and upright).

Enjolras being alone at the side with no ability or motivation to move meant that he did get a good chance to people-watch. There were stressed parents with small children who fell on their faces every two seconds. There were teenage couples holding onto each other desperately and giggling far too loudly. There weren't many people who could actually skate, which Enjolras was thankful for, because it meant that maybe he didn't look like a complete idiot.

A little while into his people-watching, somebody caught Enjolras' eye. He was tall and lanky, his dark curls hanging into his face in a way that must have been distracting. It didn't seem to be bothering him though – he was skating between people gracefully, occasionally twirling around or pulling of moves that Enjolras couldn't remember the name of. Every now and then he'd stop to help up a child or urge on a crowd of people – his dark shirt and fluorescent vest suggested he was a member of staff. 

_What a show off_ , Enjolras scowled inwardly as the man jumped off of the ice and landed effortlessly, Enjolras attempting to ignore the anxious feeling growing in his stomach.

After ten minutes spent getting his balance (and definitely _not_ glancing over to the ice marshal who he definitely did _not_ feel any kind of attraction to, even if the feeling in his stomach suggested otherwise), Enjolras attempted to move away from the railing, trying desperately to keep his arms down by his sides as he shuffled across the ice. His lanky legs wobbled under his weight and his lack of grip on the surface beneath him, and his heart rate increased significantly as he stumbled forwards. When he'd finally managed to get some amount of balance, skating became an awkward process of trying to push his foot forward without sending his whole body flying.

Courfeyrac and Combeferre skated past him, Courfeyrac's arm wound tightly around Combeferre's waist. They smiled and waved at him enthusiastically. He tried to return their smiles with an equal amount of enthusiasm – really, he did – and ended up losing his balance entirely, his knees giving way and his torso flopping forwards onto the hard ice below. He groaned loudly, making a mental note to kill Combeferre when they were finished, because did he mention that this was the _worst idea in the history of bad ideas?_

Pushing himself up onto his knees, he gasped sharply as his face almost came into contact with a strong pair of thighs. He looked up to find a man looking down at him – a man with dark shaggy curls and the most mesmerising leaf-green eyes Enjolras had ever seen. The member of staff from earlier. He was stood tall with one leg bent, looking perfectly balanced and confident in ice skates, his expression almost slightly smug as he looked down at Enjolras folded in a heap on the floor. Enjolras felt a slight disliking towards him already.

“D'you want a hand getting up?” the man asked, extending a hand and a rather muscled arm towards Enjolras.

“No, I'm fine. Thank you.” Enjolras dismissed the man's offer almost bitterly (because apparently he'd decided accepting help was more damaging to his pride than falling over and then being nasty towards the nice man who'd offered to help him up). He put one foot on the ice and relied on his strength to get him up and standing again, but has he tried to push himself up, his foot slipped from beneath him and he fell again – this time onto his arse.

“Whoa, steady there.” Suddenly strong arms were around him, guiding up onto his feet again. When standing, he only went and slipped _again_ , falling back into the arms of the man, who just laughed sympathetically, took Enjolras' hand in his own, and lead him back towards the side. Enjolras lunged for the railing and clung onto it as if his life depended on it (which, let's be honest, it really did). 

“Thanks for that,” Enjolras sighed with relief, and made an effort of smiling gratefully towards the man, who was surprisingly still by his side. 

“No problem,” the man shrugged. “It's kind of my job. And besides, we couldn't risk a face as pretty as yours getting broken.”

Enjolras felt himself warming up slightly towards this man, and allowed himself to laugh. “You understand that was terribly cheesy, right?” 

The man nodded. “I do, yeah, but I thought I'd try it anyway. My name's Grantaire, by the way.”

“Well thank you, Grantaire. You really just saved my life – or my limbs, at least. I'm Enjolras.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Enjolras. I'm guessing you don't...skate often?”

Enjolras chuckled dryly. “God, no. It was my friend's idea, actually. When I agreed to it, I didn't think that he'd actually skate off with his boyfriend and leave me to suffer.”

“Ah, would they be that disgusting couple who keep making out every time one of them falls over?”

Enjolras shuddered, because he didn't think he'd ever get used to the idea of his two best friends being... _together._ “That'd probably be them. I've tried telling them to just keep their hands and mouths off each other in public but, well, that obviously didn't work. I'm sorry if they caused you any kind of...mental disturbance.”

“Nah, they're okay. If I had a boyfriend then I can't say I wouldn't be acting the same way.”

An awkward silence fell upon them then, as Enjolras struggled to think of anything to say and Grantaire surveyed the rink.

“Enjolras,” he started after a while, seeming a little hesitant. “D'you, uh, want any help going round? I wouldn't be doing my job very well if I let you keep falling over and hurting yourself.”

Though he hadn't much liked this Grantaire guy at first, Enjolras had to admit that the man was growing on him. He seemed genuine enough, Enjolras couldn't deny that he was attractive in some weird and wonderful way, and he hadn't really yet laughed at Enjolras' misfortune – and there was a _lot_ to laugh at regarding Enjolras on ice. And Enjolras found himself wanting to accept Grantaire's offer, but his entire body was burning and he was actually starting to sweat now. He just wanted to get off the ice and possibly sleep for a hundred years.

“Actually I think I'm just gonna get off now,” he answered, and felt a pang of guilt as a look of disappointment washed over Grantaire's face. “Thanks, though.”

“Ah, that's okay,” Grantaire shrugged, attempting to hide his disappointment. “At least let me help you back over to the gate.”

“I'd be very grateful,” Enjolras grinned, his heart fluttering a little as Grantaire took Enjolras' hand in his own again, keeping them close to the railing as he half dragged him towards the exit off the ice rink. Enjolras found that he liked the feeling of Grantaire's hand in his. There was something about it that felt...right. 

Enjolras slipped and stumbled a little more, but Grantaire was there to catch him each time. When Enjolras fell to the side, his faced crashed into Grantaire's chest, which turned out to be _very_ solidly muscled, much to Enjolras' embarrassment. He continued skating, trying to forget how warm and firm Grantaire's chest had felt through his shirt.

The journey towards the gate seemed like forever – though that could've just been because Enjolras was clinging desperately to Grantaire, who was becoming increasingly more attractive by the second. But eventually they reached the other side and Enjolras was reunited with his beloved concrete once more.

“Well, uh, you're safe now,” Grantaire chuckled, reluctantly letting go of Enjolras' hand. 

Enjolras let out another huge sigh of relief. “Yeah. Thank you, really. I'm sorry I was such a nuisance.”

“You were no problem, Enjolras.”

“But still, you're supposed to be watching out for _everybody_ , not skating around with a grown man hanging off your arm.”

“I didn't mind. I rather enjoyed it, actually.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Well, I'll see you around, then? Maybe?”

Enjolras drew in a deep breath. He couldn't quite believe what he was about to do, but he knew he had to do it nonetheless. “Actually, well, this is a long shot, and I don't usually do this kind of thing, but...do you maybe want to go out with me sometime? It's stupid, I know, and I completely understand if you don't want to, but-”

“I'd love to go out with you, Enjolras,” Grantaire blurted out before Enjolras could continue and change his mind. Grantaire couldn't really believe what he was hearing – somebody like _Enjolras_ was...asking him out?

“Really?” Enjolras' heart was doing that weird fluttery thing again that he wasn't entirely uncomfortable with, because though it was unfamiliar, it was...pleasant.

“Really,” Grantaire breathed, and Enjolras thought he might've imagined a hint of awe in Grantaire's tone. “Do you want me to give you my number, or...?”

Once they'd exchanged phone numbers, Grantaire got back onto the ice. 

“I'll call you,” Enjolras yelled after him, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

“You'd better,” Grantaire teased, winking and twirling around on the tips of his toes.

Enjolras watched Grantaire skate off until he'd become lost in the sea of people again. It wasn't like Enjolras to ask out strangers, much less semi-attractive ones who could ice skate incredibly well, but yes, he would definitely call Grantaire later.

Maybe Combeferre's idea to go ice skating hadn't been such a bad one at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Because I went ice skating earlier and one of the ice marshals looked so much like a modern au Grantaire.
> 
> This isn't exactly great but I couldn't not post it because I'd already told people I was gonna write it.
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr!!](http://angeoltaire.tumblr.com)


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